The Open Doors Initiative, developed by OT Focus, is a community program designed to support adults with a disability in the Sutherland Shire by offering sponsored Occupational Therapy (OT) Access Assessment Reports to help them apply for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The cost of obtaining Occupational Therapy Access Assessments Reports can be prohibitive, but provide the necessary evidence to gain access to the NDIS and the right level of funding and support from the NDIS for their individual needs.
Thanks to generous support from local businesses like yours, the Initiative ensures that those in need can receive the professional OT report required for NDIS applications, without the financial burden.
This program aims to open doors to life changing services for our local community.
Many people with disability are blocked from accessing the NDIS, not because they don’t qualify, but because they can’t afford the assessments required to prove it.
IT’S A CIRCULAR PROBLEM
They need funded support to afford the OT assessment… but they need the OT assessment to access funding.
Peter, a 55-year-old plumbing business owner, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in his mid-life. What began as fatigue and weakness progressed to tremors, falls, and cognitive fog, making it impossible to continue running his business. His wife, Anna, and their children became his main supports, juggling care with their own responsibilities.
With the support of his GP, Peter was hopeful when applying for the NDIS, and devastated when his application was rejected, not once, but twice, being told his symptoms were “not disabling enough.” Each refusal brought financial strain and emotional exhaustion.
Peter downsized the business, paid thousands for doctor’s assessments, and navigated endless paperwork, leaving himself and Anna overwhelmed.
With persistence and support from his neurologist and physiotherapist, Peter self-funded an Occupational Therapy (OT) assessment and appealed through the Tribunal. His final approval was due to the vital evidence provided in his OT report.
Now with NDIS funding, Peter has ongoing support that restores his independence, eases the load on his family, and gives him renewed hope.
BE PART OF THE INITIATIVE
The remaining cost is supported by local community sponsors, like you, who believe everyone should have a fair path into the NDIS
The Open Doors Initiative is facilitated and co-funded by OT Focus.
